CSU chancellor says better graduation rates will help economy

California State University Chancellor Timothy P. White after delivering his first 'State of the CSU' address in Long Beach on Wednesday. JEFF GRITCHEN, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

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California Governor Jerry Brown listens as California State University Chancellor Timothy P. White after delivers his first 'State of the CSU' address in Long Beach on Wednesday. JEFF GRITCHEN, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

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California State University Chancellor Timothy P. White after delivers his first 'State of the CSU' address in Long Beach on Wednesday. JEFF GRITCHEN, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

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California State University Chancellor Timothy P. White answers questions during a press conference after delivering his first 'State of the CSU' address in Long Beach on Wednesday. JEFF GRITCHEN, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

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California State University Chancellor Timothy P. White answers questions during a press conference after delivering his first 'State of the CSU' address in Long Beach on Wednesday. JEFF GRITCHEN, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

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California State University Chancellor Timothy P. White answers questions during a press conference after delivering his first 'State of the CSU' address in Long Beach on Wednesday. JEFF GRITCHEN, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

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California State University Chancellor Timothy P. White after delivers his first 'State of the CSU' address in Long Beach on Wednesday. JEFF GRITCHEN, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

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California State University Chancellor Timothy P. White answers questions during a press conference after delivering his first 'State of the CSU' address in Long Beach on Wednesday. JEFF GRITCHEN, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

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California Governor Jerry Brown listens as California State University Chancellor Timothy P. White after delivers his first 'State of the CSU' address in Long Beach on Wednesday. JEFF GRITCHEN, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

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California Governor Jerry Brown listens as California State University Chancellor Timothy P. White after delivers his first 'State of the CSU' address in Long Beach on Wednesday. JEFF GRITCHEN, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

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California Governor Jerry Brown, left, and California State University Chancellor Timothy P. White, before White delivered his first 'State of the CSU' address in Long Beach on Wednesday. JEFF GRITCHEN, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

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California State University Chancellor Timothy P. White after delivers his first 'State of the CSU' address as California Governor Jerry Brown listens in Long Beach on Wednesday. JEFF GRITCHEN, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Universities need to award more degrees to grow the California economy, and an additional $50 million in state funding for Cal State University will help do that by improving graduation rates, Chancellor Timothy White said Wednesday.

A university degree improves lives of low-income families, and CSU plays an important roll in reaching out to those in need because of the affordability of attending a CSU school, White said in his State of the CSU speech at the CSU headquarters in Long Beach. Of the CSU’s almost 437,000 students, 145,000 live in the lowest 20 percent of income, White said, calling CSU “the people’s university.”

“We must simply maintain a laser-like focus on student achievement and the forward-looking growth of this great state of California,” White said.

To meet the demands of the state’s economy, California needs to produce more graduates with degrees at a rate that’s 40 percent higher than current levels, he said.

White said the $50 million expenditure is an investment in the state and will be used to increase graduation by 10 percent over the next 10 years at CSU’s 23 campuses.

“The cost to California will occur if we don’t do it,” White said. “The liability to California will occur with more unemployment costs, more costs for social services and the criminal justice system, and state revenue foregone because of lower wages.”

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